Untitled 1962

This untitled painting by Norman Bluhm is a vibrant explosion of gesture made with bold strokes of black, yellow, and red paint. You can almost feel Bluhm’s energy as he worked, building up layers, maybe trying things out, then reacting and shifting. I imagine Bluhm, like other painters of his generation, grappling with the legacy of Abstract Expressionism, trying to find his own voice within that tradition. The drippy quality of the paint, and the all-over composition, is reminiscent of Jackson Pollock. But Bluhm’s use of color feels distinct. That bold red mark, almost like a deconstructed letter, jumps out. It’s raw and immediate, but also considered. And the way the yellow paint streaks across the surface, it's like a burst of light cutting through the darkness. Ultimately, Bluhm's work reminds me that artists are in an ongoing conversation, building upon and responding to what came before. Painting becomes a way to embody feeling, embrace ambiguity, and open up new ways of seeing.